Patterns of the Heart
by MangaAnimeLover
Summary: When Sakura is kidnapped by Orochimaru, she is forced to heal his arms to save her own life. As her life takes an uexpected twist, her feelings are put in new situations, and Sasuke is once again the main reason for these changes. Sasuke X Sakura
1. Chapter 1

**_READ THIS BEFORE CONTINUING!! IT IS VERY I-M-P-O-R-T-A-N-T!!!_**

This is an experiment!

The story is told from both Sakura and Sasuke's point of view. Everytime you see the "**_-----_**" sign, it means that the PoV shifts to the other person. On my computer, I have written all Sakura's story in red, and Sasuke's in blue. Since that is impossible here, I do not know how to indicate who's "speaking"... Though, it should be easy to read.

Tell me if you think I shall re-arrange the layout and somehow show the readers who is speaking....?

**_Thank you for reading!_**

**Chapter 1: Crimson Eyes in the Dark**

Light rosy walls, mahogany flooring and white furniture surrounded me in shape of a girl's room. It was weakly lit up by the gleaming moonlight through the opened window. Cool and arid autumn breeze stroked my back now and then.

I moved toward the bed in the center of the average sized room, noticing pools of casually thrown clothes around on the dark hazel floor. Not seeing any reason for avoiding the discarded pieces of fabric, I casually stepped on some as I went. When my knees were a few inches from the edge of the bed I stopped, and I let my gaze brush slowly over the sleeping girl before my eyes.

It had almost been two years since I last saw such vivid pink locks – no other than the Haruno Sakura was capable of bearing such a horrible hair color with pride. Her tresses were still short, just like I remembered them, and they were merely splayed around her still quite childish features.

She was breathing heavily; a sign that my only partly masked chakra didn't reach her in her sleep. Despite the fact that she as younger was the best at controlling and detecting chakra in Team Seven, her skills obviously weren't even near my level now – or maybe she was just sleeping very heavily. It was better not to underestimate her in case it in the end would give backfire.

Curious for a reaction, I reached out my hand toward her, stopping an inch from her bare arm which lay casually over her stomach. Suddenly I sensed her body tense and spotted a firm, pink eyebrow twitch. Her breathing sped up despite her attempt to maintain the deep rhythm from a slumber. Her mouth tightened almost insignificantly. It didn't require too much intelligence to figure out that she had awakened and now was faking a sleep to protect herself from whoever she might think was in her room.

What a weak way of self-defense. I wondered if she had recognized my chakra yet.

Noticing the slight move of her right shoulder, I sensed the she was going to launch something toward me. The fact that she kept weapons near her at night didn't really surprise me, since the girl obviously always had been a bit paranoid, but yet it amazed me that she wasn't a completely failure as a ninja. As much as I knew, Kakashi had always done the same, hiding kunais under his pillow. Maybe that old pervert had taught it to her.

As my prediction was coming true and I saw her elbow move, ready to throw whatever she thought would work, I easily stepped aside and in the next moment I heard the sound of three or four shurikens hitting the wall behind me, directly aimed for my head in my former position.

"Sly but too slow, Sakura," I said, letting her indentify the unwanted presence in her room. She stiffened by the sound of my voice. If she hadn't recognized me before, she surely had now. Slowly, she turned her head and let her abruptly opened eyes search in my direction, her eyes widened as soon as she had confirmed that it was me.

I spotted her lips part and I knew that I had to take action that exact moment in case she was going to scream or something. I didn't want any witnesses. So before she could do anything, I had pressed my thumb down on a particularly sensitive spot of bundles at the crook of her neck and caused her to faint with a surprised hiss. Before her eyes went shut I saw a certain and well-known feeling glint in her emerald eyes; hate. There was no doubt about it. This girl had changed through the years, and I knew that the rest of the journey to Orochimaru's hideout wasn't going to be easy in case she would wake before.

With these thoughts in my mind I wiped off her duvet, surprised to see that she was fully dressed in something that could be her daily clothes, and I lifted her up, casually swung her over my shoulder and snorted silently. Either she _was_ paranoid or else she was prepared for attacks during the night. The first possibility really didn't surprise me. Though the pressure on my left shoulder did; she was heavy. Had she gained weight? She didn't look fat in any way…

This was running off topic. Why should I care? _Did_ I really care? No. Moving on and bringing her safely to Orochimaru's lair before daytime were what I should care about, so I went to the still opened window and let my gaze slide over the darkness outside before taking off into the night.

**_-----_**

I was abruptly waked by a heavily, throbbing pain in my head, my temples feeling like being pierced by a sword. My neck was stiff, apparently the main source of my head ache. I slowly opened my eyes, seeing the cold grey surroundings in shape of a plain room. I was lying in the center on the hard stone floor.

It took me some seconds recalling what exactly had happened, and I remembered a set of crimson eyes belonging to the missing teammate of Team Seven before my consciousness was put to an end. I felt rage build up in my body. That bastard had not only abandoned the village and his teammates, he had also tried to kill us, the only ones who still had held faith in him and hoping he would return, and now he had kidnapped me. And for what purpose, I asked myself.

_Maybe I should start with an easier question: where the hell __**am**__ I?_

I barely managed to rise myself onto feet, my limps were a bit sore and aching irritably as I did. Had that… _idiot_… merely dropped me on the floor, careless as usually?

_As if my capture isn't bad enough itself…_

With a displeased groan I strode silently to the door, let my fingers assess whether or not anyone had put a chakra bond around the room, and to my horror I discovered something unpleasant. I narrowed my eyes with a frown.

_My chakra is gone… the bastard has drained me somehow!_

Rarely had I felt completely emptied like this. The feeling of being more or less helpless was horrible. Even my taijutsu was weakened because of my soreness. If an enemy showed up that moment, I wouldn't be able to defend myself properly unless it was an utmost emergency, and the consequences would hurt later on. The thought really frightened me.

Should I take the chance and pass the threshold? It could be dangerous… Otherwise I would have to sit and wait for Sasuke to come and do whatever he had brought me here for. The horrified wonder struck me once again.

_Okay, so I'm in a room with one single way out, drained for chakra but somewhat healthy when it comes to the ability to move and think… I know Sasuke brought me here, but I don't know who else are in the house… or whatever I'm in right now… The conclusion must be that someone needs me to do or tell them something important. If they wanted to kill me, they could easily have done it while I was unconscious. They might not be out to use me as bait for anyone, since I guess Sasuke just could have gotten that exact person instead of bringing __**me**__ here. Maybe it has something to do with my medic abilities… Oh wait, is this Orochimaru's hideout!? _

As realization hit me, my eyes widened and the pace of my heart quickened. I stepped back from the door, sitting down on the middle of the floor.

_Orochimaru's arms… Tsunade wouldn't heal him so why not use me instead? That is such a cruel, yet brilliant idea… But if he thinks I will heal him, he's deeply wrong! How am I supposed to do so when I'm completely drained anyway? Actually, it's a mere luck that I have regained consciousness._

I crossed my legs, resting my chin on my supported palm, thinking hardly. I knew very well what the consequences of a denial would be, and I saw no opportunity to escape. I was in deep shit.

As I sat there, musing over pros and cons, I heard sounds from outside the door; determined footsteps on the hard floor in a seemingly long passage. My ears had rarely disappointed me when it came to investigate my surroundings blindly. Somebody was clearly heading for my cell, something serious in mind.

My heart sped up and my breaths became shallow. How could the person know that I had awakened?

_Oh, the door… There__** is **__a chakra band around this room. The person heading here must be the one connected to the chakra band…_

I tried indentifying the chakra around the room and the one coming closer; seemingly the same chakra, but I didn't recognize it. I could sense a dark aura around it, which caused my eyes to widen. This person was using several kinjutsu and had a normal, strong chakra with a dominant, dark twist. The feeling of death and relentlessness clung to him or her.

The person was moving swiftly with terse steps, drastically nearing the room each second. I held my breath, feeling my pulse rush past my ears as a sickening feeling erupted in my stomach. What a prominent chakra, I mused. The person stopped right outside the door, fiddled slightly with the door handle and finally opened.

**_-----_**

As every inch of her cell was revealed, I immediately spotted her jade eyes staring anxiously at me. She was pale as hell; afraid of what fate would bring.

Even I didn't know what Orochimaru wanted with her. I had merely fetched her in Konoha.

I stepped inside the room, moving closer to her as we kept a strong eye contact. Her eyes seemed full of hatred once again. Using my activated Sharingan, I let my gaze flicker over her body, saw her chakra circulation and figured by the speed of her chest's movements that she wasn't breathing properly. The first thought striking me was that she was hurt. Otherwise she was just too focused on giving me death glares that she forgot to breathe – or maybe she was far more afraid that her emerald eyes showed. Either way, she seemed harmless according to the lack of reactions.

I stepped forward, yanking her onto feet with a strong pull by her upper arm. She hissed, narrowing her eyes as she glared defiantly into my eyes. Bad sense of occasion, my mind snorted.

"Let go of me, you cold asshole!" she growled hoarsely, her hands gripping my wrist tightly as she gritted her teeth. Her eyes stared fearlessly into mine, which I considered pure rashness and persistence. I began lugging her out of the room, and her only responses were a throated hiss and anything other than compliance.

"What do you want?" she asked angrily, her voice thick of despise echoing slightly in the hallway. She seemingly had cooled down a bit, but her hatred was not to be misunderstood. Her feet were still trying to curb my every step like the moment I began trailing her. She was persistent, just like the noisy, blonde idiot I once could call my teammate.

I couldn't answer, since only Orochimaru and Kabuto hadn't told me what she actually was doing here.

She became silent, obviously thinking. Suddenly jade yes widened, which I spotted indifferently. Dramatizing this wouldn't better her situation; it would merely give backfire in the end.

"Infuuin," she whispered hoarsely, discretely, and I noticed immediately. A purple diamond mark appeared on her forehead, similar to the one Tsunade had, but this mutated, drawing neat marks around her face. I frowned, forcing her up against the stone wall with a hand around her neck. She glared thoughtfully at me, a glint of something unidentifiable in her eyes.

_There's something wrong. What is she doing? She has no chakra… wait, there's something – in that mark. Shit!_

"Kai!" she said, a triumphant smirk on her lips as the marks faded. Suddenly I felt a huge chakra wave colliding with my body, and I was abruptly forced away, crushing roughly into the wall behind me.

My eyes narrowed in danger.

She ran toward the door we originally were heading for, and I immediately threw my hands to the floor, creating a wave of pure chakra against her. This would merely immobilize her legs and throw her against the wall.

As it hit her a few seconds later, she collided with the wall before her with an unpleasant whimper, presumably noticing that her legs were immobilized.

Teleporting over to her, I shortly returned the triumphant smirk. It was, however, quickly replaced by my normal, expressionless façade. She shouldn't get the idea that I found fighting amusing.

"Don't underestimate me, Sakura," I mumbled stoically and grabbed her collar, raising her from the floor and seeing as her eyes turned terrified, "Why are you fighting against me? You are weak."

A frown replaced her frightened expression.

"No, Sasuke, you are wrong… I have become strong – for the sake of rescuing you, not fighting against you. I might be able to defeat you, but these powers are meant to save you." Somewhere among the words her harsh voice broke, husky tones taking over.

"Even though I hate what you did to me, to _Team Seven_, I will save you. The fact that you brought me here only makes it easier," she continued, her voice regaining strength for each word spoken.

"Why are you trying to change fate so desperately?" I asked her. I had actually wondered about that since I met Naruto, her and some others unknown shinobi two years ago. It was nagging in the back of my mind – finally getting it out of my head would be great. Of course, I didn't show that.

Sakura smiled sadly, her eyes drifting aside.

"People are missing you," she said lowly, her voice once again showing vulnerability.

Suddenly we both stiffened, feeling another person in the room. Sakura could see him, I figured by her widened eyes, and I could sense him; Orochimaru was standing right behind me.

"How romantically," he said, scorning. I sensed a disgusted expression on his snake-like features and let go of Sakura.

**_-----_**

My eyes widened the moment he showed up. His dark hair was long and clung flatly to his pale, famished face. His countenance was unidentifiable and his prominent, golden eyes piercing.

After his remark I sneered hatefully, wanting to attack him – and if Sasuke hadn't paralyzed me I would already be lunging for him by now. He knew that as well as I did.

Sasuke stepped aside, and without his physical support my trembling legs threaded to collapse under me. I molded a bit chakra to my palms and placed them on the stony wall behind me, supporting my body on the wall instead.

"You being able to use the Godaime's Infuuin Technique is indeed fascinating," Orochimaru said thoughtfully, giving me a malevolent grin, "I suppose she also taught you the Souzou Saisei Technique."

I briefly looked at Sasuke, who stared indifferently at me.

"Why would she do that?" I asked somewhat provocatively, shrugging barely noticeable. Tsunade-shisou _had _taught me Souzou Saisei, but what was in it for him? To him I was merely a tool meant for healing and then executing.

"After Kabuto's chakra draining injection you should be completely unable to perform any jutsu requiring chakra, and yet you defied that fact. You are able to handle such a powerful technique as Infuuin, so you must have much potential, which Tsunade would make use of for Konoha's and your own sake," he said, smirking sinisterly. "Of course she has taught you Souzou Saisei, since they're deeply related," he finished, his voice lecturing.

The fact that he knew so much frightened me.

"What's in it for _you_?" I spat venomously, eyes narrowing. He stepped past Sasuke and stopped some inches from me, looking down with that disgusting grin of his. His proximity chilled my skin and I hissed inwardly, sending sharp stares.

"If she trusts you to the point of teaching you her personal kinjutsu, then you must be skilled and therefore also know her best techniques, which I'll take advantage of." Another sinister smile appeared on his loathsome features and he began licking his lips, ferocity glinting in his repulsive eyes. He was undoubtedly talking about Tsunade-shisou's best healing methods.

Suddenly I noticed my paralysis fading quickly. Sasukes jutsu was apparently only meant for temporary immobilize and minor hurt. I let go of the wall, which both noticed. Sasuke immediately grabbed my upper arm, this time incredible roughly. I winced in his grip, tempted to lunge a fist at him, but I restrained myself and glared evilly at him instead. He eyed me stoically.

Orochimaru seemed somewhat amused by our little scene.

"Sasuke-kun, you better lead her to the rendezvous without troubles. Kabuto is waiting and I myself am not too patient," Snakey said and disappeared just as quickly as he had showed up.

Sasuke sighed and complied like the crude dog he seemingly was to the Sannin.

I knew that attacking him again wasn't a good idea and that I instead should take the opportunity to get my prison to know better for later use in case of an escape. I walked obediently beside him as we went, trying to forget the pain in my upper arm, caused by Sasuke's tightening grip.

While I was being lead to the "rendezvous" I made sure to memorize and examine the areas we crossed. Never did we pass a door where our footsteps didn't echo, which meant we hadn't passed any exit. What surprised me more were the many identical passages and halls and the huge amount of doors we passed. This hideout was like a labyrinth, just like the one I saw two years ago. What I also noticed was that he unlocked and locked every door we went through, simply by letting a chakra filled finger glide from the threshold at the handle over to the handle and down to the lock – and opposite when locking it again afterwards.

He noticed my observation but apparently didn't care whether I calculated anything or not.

"If you find anything exciting, let me know," he said, joking.

_Oh wait… joking? Sasuke!?_

I glanced surprised at him, my mouth gaping slightly. Hearing Sasuke joking was rare.

_No, wait. He didn't make a joke. It must have been my mind. Yeah… Sasuke would never joke about __**anything**__. I'm going insane – that's more likely. _

"Yeah," I answered, suddenly unsure if he actually _had_ said it. However, that topic was quickly pushed aside as I forced myself to focus on the hallways again. That was, after all, the more important thing.

We both kept silent the rest of the way until we reached a certain door, and Sasuke tightened his grip at my arm as I once again felt the urge to fight against his actions. I stared anxiously at the door, my heart beat already irregular and making me slightly dazed. Inside there were Kabuto and Orochimaru, waiting for us with wicked plans.

This door, however, was not locked and Sasuke lead me inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2: The Fight and the Deal_**

I felt her stiffen the moment she spotted the examination couch in the middle of the room, Kabuto at the left side and Orochimaru at the right. Her eyes widened and her jaw began trembling as she saw the hypodermic needle held by Kabuto, but I doubted she was able to identify the yellow liquid inside it. Only a highly skilled medic was able to do so. Even I didn't have a clue what it was, and why should I care?

"My, my, my, Sakura-_chan_, you sure have grown since I last saw you at the Tenchikyou Bridge," Kabuto said and grinned maliciously, voice somewhat sarcastic.

Sensing her draw chakra to her hands, I immediately wrenched both her arms behind her back, received a broken hiss as I did so.

"Assholes," she whispered huskily to all of us and once again adjusted her narrowed sight at Kabuto, who merely smiled back with a provocative smirk and squished some of the light liquid out of the needle tip, threading her with a menacing glance.

"Keep that deadly anesthetic to yourself, your damned freak of a medic," she spat angrily, trying to yank her arms free, without luck, of course. Kabuto seemed rather unaffected by her words, slightly amused if anything.

I personally didn't care what the liquid was – _I_ wasn't the one being threaded. It apparently was poison, I had thought that too, but how was Sakura able to identify it?

_Hn…_

"You are well taught, Sakura, but save your knowledge for later use," Orochimaru interjected, a sly smirk on his white face. Sakura once again tried jerking her arms free, this time freeing her right arm. I wringed her left arm further and she moaned inwardly in pain, kept her free arm still.

"If Tsunade-shisou denied healing you, what makes you think_ I_ will do it?" Sakura questioned incredulously, a frown still plastered to her face.

"You will find out soon enough."

_Oh, so I was right. Sakura has become a medic-nin… Somehow that doesn't surprise me; she never was suitable for fighting. _

Orochimaru caught my attention, motioned me to lead Sakura to the examination couch, and I pressed her forward, the girl naturally defying as much as possible. As we reached the couch she jumped, placing her feet on the edge and spun in the air, resulting in me losing my grip around her left wrist. When she landed she flipped backwards toward the door, but as she reached it both Kabuto and I had already teleported in front of her.

She gave a snarl, most likely swearing inwardly that moment.

"How far may I go?" I asked Orochimaru, needed to make sure whether I was allowed to make this serious or not – Sakura wasn't holding back, so why should I?

"Let Kabuto do this, you'll just end up killing her," he answered, something between amusement and seriousness flashing in his eyes.

I noticed Sakura's eyes widen by those words. Hadn't she expected me to able to do so? If not, she was deeply underestimating me. Someday I'll show her, my mind said, that well-known malevolent tone echoing as usual.

_Wait, why do I even care? I shouldn't do so… Hn._

I eyed Kabuto briefly, his eyes glued intensely at Sakura, ready to fight.

"She has surprises up her sleeve," I warned him quietly as I teleported over to Orochimaru. Kabuto nodded curtly, formed some handseals and let his hands glow with chakra before lunging toward Sakura.

**_-----_**

Four-eyes ran toward me, that sly smirk on his face. His hands were covered with chakra – undoubtedly Chakra no Mesu, something that I had mastered too. Provokingly, I formed those handseals too, letting the tickling blue chakra engulf my hands with a smirk. His response was something between amusement, surprise and seriousness. He kept lunging forward, trying to hit my biceps.

I soon calculated his attack rhythm: Charge, charge, parry, step forward, charge, parry, charge, step forward, and so on. He was skilled, yet it didn't require too much planning the perfect resistance and counterattack.

_Back, parry, charge, back, parry, charge, parry, fell, back, parry, charge, back, parry…- _

And then what I had feared the last quarter happened. My chakra faded suddenly, and my eyes widened when I felt an unbearable dizziness swallowing me from the inside. These were some of the consequences of using Infuuin, which merely was used to regain chakra in a certain amount of time, and using before performing Souzou Saisei. Unlike Souzou Saisei, these side effects were only temporary, but that fact didn't help me a shit that moment.

Kabuto noticed the effects, grinning evilly. Did he know the consequences? When I thought about it, Orochimaru might've been the one telling him. That creep knew too much.

Helplessly, I collapsed onto knees, whimpering in discomfort as gravity pulled me down. I eyed the two raven-haired shinobi not far behind me, spotting one with a triumphant grin and one who stood completely stoically as he probably had done the last couple of minutes.

"Your performance there was not too impressive," Kabuto flattened, crouching down in front of me and grabbing my upper arms tightly, "What will you do now?" That triumphant and provocative smirk he wore made my blood boil, goading me. His question echoed in my mind, stressing me.

Infuuin was not meant to be used too often, since it caused those sudden consequences. I knew very well that if I used it and under its effect fatigued myself to a heavy degree, I would be on the verge to death when my body suddenly was emptied from chakra too. A shinobi should avoid being completely drained from stamina and chakra at the same time, because such an action could, and would most likely, kill you. Unfortunately, I had never been particularly gifted when it came to the amount of both, but being the apprentice of Tsunade-shisou had definitely helped me in that too.

It is quite tasking explaining about stamina and chakra, since they to a point are the same and yet different. Being drained from either of them will also affect the other, though not to a serious degree. If your chakra is drained by someone, meaning that you didn't use it yourself, it won't affect your energy that much. However, if you use half of your chakra you also use around a quarter of your energy, and if you use half of your energy you use an eighth of your chakra.

The chakra wave I had used against Sasuke earlier had required most of my chakra, and I had from the beginning not been too full of physical energy. When I then suddenly was drained of chakra because of Infuuin, the combined fatigue of both energy and chakra had felt like a huge impact.

All that did Kabuto and the others know, too.

Four-eyes tightened his grip around my arms, tugging both of us on to feet. I felt my legs shiver weakly underneath me, and once again I felt completely weak and useless; the feeling I had worked my ass off to avoid, and now it suddenly appeared in these fragile circumstances. I hated it. I really, really hated it, but there was nothing I could do. If I used Infuuin now, I would most likely die around half an hour later. I couldn't risk that for the sake of Konoha and Sasuke, whom I had dedicated my life to save.

Kabuto shoved me casually upon the examination couch with ease, as if I weighed nothing to him. Of course, I knew that wasn't the truth, but I guessed he was using chakra to stimulate his muscles and therefore enlarging the muscle mass slightly. It was the exact same trick Tsunade-shisou and I used in fight. Once again I had to admit that he was skilled, but… what was I doing there, then? That was still a loose brick in the puzzle.

I sighed, looking wearily around but avoided the eyes of the others – especially Sasuke, who still might think of me as a weakling. That, and he was hard to face, so therefore I wouldn't.

"Why do you need my medic skills? You have Kabuto, who is one of the world's best medics. Even I can't compare with him," I stated, directed at Orochimaru. I noticed Kabuto give a curt grunt of pride because of my words. Snakey raised an eyebrow.

"It is not common hearing such self-flattening words from a Konoha shinobi. You must be sure in your statement," he said, an unreadable expression on his face, "The reason till you are here is because you are the apprentice of the world's best medic-nin. You have therefore much knowledge in such young age, which makes you easier to deal with – and to persuade."

I snorted. The man truly wasn't hiding anything. How typical for the bad guys…

"And how can you be sure that I won't try killing you or myself?" I questioned back, spotting a reaction of slight surprise from Kabuto. Orochimaru stepped closer, looking straight down on me. I narrowed my eyes by his proximity.

"Because you won't die before you have saved Sasuke. This was once your promise to him."

"And what's in this for _me_?" I asked, let my eyes travel restlessly around in the room and coincidentally met crimson eyes for what seemed like a half second. I withdrew my gaze immediately after the sudden encounter. He was staring expressionlessly at me.

"If you heal my arms successfully, I will let you take Sasuke back to Konoha," he answered, a sly smile on his snake-like features. My eyes widened, and it surprised me that Sasuke hadn't even shifted the slightest by the last spoken sentence. Had he agreed with that?

Either way, why was Orochimaru willing to let go of such a catch as the young Uchiha? That was pure stupidity. Why had he lured Sasuke to him and then offering to let him go again? He had gone for Sasuke even before being impaired, knowing that he had to overtake the young body sooner or later, and now he would give up his best vessel to become as he was before. There was something rotten in this, I just needed to find it.

**_-----_**

Sakura nodded curtly, seemingly unsure of something. She had hesitated, which she rarely did when we were younger – she was a girl to act readily, never letting wonder hold her actions back. She would rather deny anything quickly that let her soft side show and think over pros and cons for minutes; a fake façade showing casual resolution. This was another proof that she had grown, but whether this was good or bad could be discussed.

"Fine. I'll heal your arms – if I can – and I will take Sasuke with me back to Konoha afterwards," she said determinedly. Her voice didn't flick the slightest; she really believed in Orochimaru's offer. That was a fatal mistake, and she would find out sooner or later.

Orochimaru raised a brow and glared lifelessly at Sakura, who merely restored his glance.

"Did I mention that you will be totally useless to me if you are unable to heal me?" he asked, a hidden message about death between the lines. Sakura seemed to catch the unspoken words and frowned.

"If I'm unable to heal you, _you_ won't be a problem to me," she answered nonchalantly with a slight snort and a smirk. Both Orochimaru's and Kabuto's expressions darkened.

_Definitely no sense of occasion…_

"Hn," I muttered stoically, caught her attention. She gave me a questioning look with a raised brow and wondering eyes. "Pissing Orochimaru off before healing him might seem harmless, but in the end he'll have his revenge. I suggest that you show some respect during your stay here, for your own sake." It looked like it took her some seconds swallowing my message, and she then sighed with a slight shrug. Kabuto gave me a brief glance, grinned in something that could be triumph and pushed his glasses upwards.

"I guess you have gotten the message by now, so everything's settled," Orochimaru said and went toward the door, shooting a glance to Sakura over his shoulder as he reached it, "Sasuke will show you to your room. You will be staying there until you have restored your chakra fully, then you will begin working on my arms." Then he left the room.

There was a brief silence before I grabbed Sakuras upper arm and pulled her off the couch. She was barely able to stand herself, which I had expected, and I pushed her toward the door and left the room without a word. She, on the other hand, gave a slight groan by the speed of our pace, and I figured it was hard for her to remain upright because of her sore muscles. But if she had expected me to slow down or carry her, she was deeply wrong. She seemed to get that and frowned but kept her pace besides me. I assumed that she wouldn't seem weak, which was fine to me.

I once again noticed her analyzing the area as much as possible. According to her slightly tilted head she was also listening for an exit. I freed a snort, and she snapped out of her examination and gave me a quick glance as if she didn't already know that I knew that she was studying the area. I ignored her gaze and she went back to her soundless investigation.

She obviously didn't care that I knew she was gaining information about the building for later use. She was planning to escape sooner or later, and she seemingly didn't care that I knew that. Did she want me to know? What for? Or was she merely giving me a delusion that she would try escaping, to cover up another plan? Or was I simply just over-thinking everything?

I forced my mind to let go of the topic and focus on the prisoner in my grip instead. I noticed that her knees had weakened furthermore since we had left the examination room, and she was now slinging slightly, her breath somewhat heavy. Her sight was drooping and her fists tightening. Side effects of her so-called Infuuin jutsu? Her face had gained an unhealthy pale color and she was moving toward the wall, a hand reaching weakly out for it.

"Sasuke… I don't… I think I-I'm goin-…,"she stuttered and fell, collapsed, and I let go of her so that she wouldn't pull me down with her. My eyes followed her movements until she was lying on the floor, behind consciousness. I stared silently at her, unsure what to do. I wasn't going to carry her, I had made that clear to myself once before.

Resting my eyes carelessly on her, I sighed and kneaded down beside her.

_On the other hand, I don't have the patience to wait for her to wake up again, and I can't just leave her here in case she will try and escape when she wakes up…_

Unenthusiastically, I slipped my hands under her back and legs and lifted her up, cursing her inwardly for being so weak. She was merely a hindrance, like she always had been. A heavy hindrance, my mind added irritatingly. I continued through the passages, and with Sakura in my arms it became quite difficult getting through the locked doors.

Stepping into what would be her room from now on, I sighed heavily and positioned her limp body onto the bed, not even considering to cover her with the duvet. It would only make things more difficult than they already were. The girl didn't know how much her presence in this building affected all of us in a way that definitely was negative. When she was done healing Orochimaru's arms he would somehow get rid of her, and we would finally be able to return to my training, which was the only reason why I was here; not because of any of Orochimaru's ridiculous attempts of being healed. I was almost sure that Sakura wouldn't be able to heal him, because Kabuto hadn't and he knew far more about Orochimaru than any other living shinobi.

It was just a matter of time and drudgery before Sakura would be thrown away and face the cruel destiny the snake had planned for her.

Shooting her a last glance, I left her room and closed the door, went to the room besides hers. That the bastard of a snake had chosen to distribute the room right beside mine to Sakura was no surprise. But that way I was able to feel when she was awake and if she tried anything of pure stupidity. I had wordlessly been appointed to be her personal security guard for the rest of her stay. That is just a wonderful idea. I can't wait to see her expression when she finds out about the bathroom, my mind snorted sarcastically as I shut my own door.

**_-----_**

First time I woke I saw nothing but a hollow blackness everywhere. The room was cold, and the bed hard against my sore back. Fainting and colliding on the solid stone floor was not a thing your back, shoulder blades and upper vertebras would remain unhurt by. Also the back of my head was hurting, if only slightly, and my temples were sore while a cruel headache was devouring my mind from the inside. Or so it felt. My eyelids felt unbearably heavy, continuously shutting discretely as I tried to make out anything in the dark. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be possible. It was merely useless trying, so I let my lids close temporarily, placed my fingers on my temples and slowly neutralized the headache with the tiny amount of regained chakra I had noticed just moments ago. The cool, soothing chakra caressed my skin softly, and I gave a peaceful sigh when the uneasy pain had faded. As I let my body relax, I drifted into another dreamless slumber.

Second time I woke I immediately felt somebody in the corner of my room. I could not see the person completely, but I could pinpoint his eyes. Scarlet, lifeless depths, staring awkwardly in what could be a lack of amusement. Besides them, I also recognized that certain prominent chakra; that one I had felt when I had been in the rough stone cell. It still lingered with death of hundreds of men. Still, he was the least frightening to me considering I knew him… more or less. Or maybe I didn't know him at all anymore.

_Well, it __**could**__ have been worse…_

Next thought that struck me was that his Sharingan was activated. I had been too upset the first meeting to actually notice his lack of onyx orbs. Since when did his Sharingan remain activated just like his brother's? Didn't his sight take damage of it, as I had learned while studying in Tsunade's private library? Or did he simply want to look more dangerous, perhaps frightening, than he usually did?

… Or was he studying my body somehow?

The last thought sent a shiver up my spine, and I spotted his eyes narrowing almost insignificantly. It was clear that he had noticed that I was musing over something regarding him. I asked myself whether it actually annoyed him, or even had the slightest effect on him, or not. But when it came to Sasuke you could never be sure about anything, nor should you expect a usable answer if you asked him. So of course I wasn't going to do so.

Tiredly, I sat up in the bed and sighed in relief when I noticed the pain in my back had been reduced during my sleep. That my body healed itself slowly and with a minimal chakra usage was not surprising since I was a medic; the human subconsciousness automatically wants to get rid of all kinds of pain, and when a medic sleeps his or her body reacts freely and begins healing faster than normal because of the healing specialized chakra everywhere in the body. Another lovely advantage as a medic.

Feeling Sasuke nearing slowly, and frightening soundlessly, I once again turned my sight to him and caught his eyes. Stoic gaze, no surprise in that. He stopped about twenty centimeters from my bed and looked down, and I suddenly felt both physically and mentally lower than him. Maybe it was true, and if that was the case I still would not be surprised.

"I sensed your chakra about two hours ago. What were you doing?" His tone was low, and soft like it always had been. And it had matured just as much as he had.

_Oh, so I have only slept further two hours? Incredible… My body usually takes longer healing itself_.

"I wanted to get rid of a headache," _which was caused by me falling on the hard stone floor, since you obviously are too cold and didn't catch me in time_, my mind continued irritably. Of course, I did not let my voice get too affected by my annoyance.

"Save your chakra for Orochimaru and your actual purpose for being here," he answered monotonously, still staring down and making me feel like an insignificant mouse in a hole of snakes. 'Snakes' was actually not far from the truth, it struck me briefly. And 'hole' was not too far either, compared to the darkness. It was actually beginning to get on my nerves.

"Isn't here a light so I can see where the fuck I am?" I asked, annoyed by the lack of windows and annoyed that I was not allowed to use _my_ chakra as _I _liked. I heard him snort just a bit, apparently feeling amused by my sudden change of topic. The old Sasuke I had known would just have found my action irritating. I guessed there was nothing to do here since such an insignificant thing affected him in a way of entertainment.

If that was true, my stay here would feel like forever. An eternity while being the helpless mouse in the hole of the devious snakes. The thought sent a shiver up my spine.


	3. Chapter 3

**The author says:**

_Hello, dear readers of mine!_

_Thank you for being patient with me. As you might understand, I have a lot to do in my every days, so updating takes me quite some time. But I can feel that I have entered a period where I prefer writing (instead of reading, drawing, etc…), so I might eventually update most of my fics in this period. I am currently writing the final part of my "Night Visitor" series, and chapter 3 of "An Unexpected Feeling". _

_So, please, hang on there! ^__^_

_- I hope you will enjoy this chapter. Since I held a long break in the middle of Sakura's first part, you might find a bit of a change in the way it is written (even though I have corrected the older part)._

_---PLEASE ENJOY! ^w^_

* * *

**Chapter 3: A Little Problem…**

***Sasuke***

Sakura's twist of topic was so unexpected that I could not restrain a small snort. Once again, I could tell myself that the girl obviously did not have any sense of occasion. Remembering her question, I mentally cursed myself for being so easily distracted by such a stupid, little thing.

"Beside the door to the bathroom," I answered indifferently. I was not going to turn it on for her like some retarded errand boy, like I had done while carrying her here. That was first and last time that would happen, I swore that to myself. If anyone here was to act like an errand boy, then it was either Sakura or Four-eyes.

Through the darkness I noticed Sakura's eyes widen as she gave a low gasp, as suddenly realizing something. She hurriedly crawled past me and jumped off the bed, began searching for something, presumably the bathroom door, in the dark. True enough, she had not satisfied any of her human or basic needs except from sleep as long as she had been here. _She must be starving too_, my mind added. Not that I really cared. Kabuto was the one who had to bring her food now and then.

She found the switch and turned on the light. With an inward growl of displeasure by the sudden brightness, she proceeded to the toilet, and as I had seen coming she stomped out the second after, a deep frown on her quite untidy face.

"The bathroom connects our rooms, am I right?" she asked, an angry hiss in her voice, "There are no locks on the doors!"

"Hn," I answered indifferently. That I did not disagree would not exact help on her mood, but that was not _my_ problem. Her mood would not affect me.

"So you can practically walk straight in while I am bathing, if that is what you want!?"

Not bothering to answer her obvious question, I raised a brow and looked patiently at her, waiting for her to cool down. It was not like I did want to burst in and ogle her anyways. What made her think that?

"If I see you enter while I am in there, I will beat you into a senseless pulp," she sneered menacingly and glared, then withdrew to the toilet and closed the door a bit too loudly for my liking. She was clearly feeling unpleased by Orochimaru's choice of her room, too. Not that it would make any difference; when the snake had decided on something it would be unchangeable. Not even that crawler Kabuto could do anything against his decisions.

I sighed barely noticeable as I heard the shower being turned on. For some minutes I just stood there doing nothing as I remembered that Kabuto had been disturbed the time where he was supposed to bring clean towels to Sakura's and my bathroom, and now Sakura would have absolutely nothing to dry herself off with when she was done. The thought of her shrieking for somebody to deliver towels in a blindfold was quite amusing, yet I knew her bossy behavior was not accepted here where she was the_ captive_, so such thing would never happen.

_She will find out soon enough…_

Realizing that somebody was to bring her the towels, I sighed again and went to the small room opposite my own and found a bunch of white towels, making a mental note to show her where she could get them so I would not have to do this again. As if running errands for her was not enough, I was going to play with fire. With my arms laden with towels, I proceeded into her room again, found a black, loose mesh shirt and some slacks in her drawer and made sure my chakra was completely masked as I slipped into the bathroom.

The steamy heat hit me like a blow when I entered the room. The mirror was slightly misty and the atmosphere sweet of shampoo. As a captive she surely was well treated, I mused irritably and placed the towels and clothes on an empty stool. A brief moment it sounded like she had taken a sudden inhalation and was listening carefully, but when I quickly slipped out of the room she seemed to continue doing whatever she was doing in there peacefully.

--

***Sakura***

A tiny moment it had felt like I was not alone in the room. Instantly, I had frozen, but as I could feel no chakra I had relaxed again. Surely, Sasuke was not stupid enough to defy what I had said only a few minutes ago.

I breathed in deeply, let the moist fill my lungs. It felt like I was being cleaned from the inside too. It was wonderful; I have always loved showering. The feeling of the warm cascade on my accurately dirty skin was comforting, and it seemed like my tense muscles finally could relax. Also the stiffness in my shoulders from my earlier faint faded. I gave a peaceful sigh and ran my hands through my hair to help the water rinse the last shampoo out. When my hair felt clean and smooth, I turned off the shower and stepped out, naturally watching for any possibly threats before exposing myself.

Seeing the towels, I smiled in satisfaction and wrapped one around me, then froze.

_These towels were not here when I stepped into the shower – neither were these clothes. So that means… that… there really __**was**__ somebody in here for an instant! _

Feeling how an uncomfortable an angry feeling bubbled up I me, I noticed my flushed cheeks in the misty mirror. Before my feet, on the middle of the floor, lay my clothes and underwear, and the person who had been in here had seen it all. I cursed inwardly.

_Damn it! God-fucking-damn-it! I just __**know**__ it was Sasuke!_

Restraining myself from going into frenzy in such a vulnerable state, I breathed deeply in thrice and bit my bottom lip hardly to suppress the growl that still threaded to slip through. If I began screaming, somebody would definitely show up. That was the last thing I needed that moment. I could give Sasuke a lecture I once had dressed fully. Until then, I just had to bear with the urge to shout out my frustration.

Finding that I would have to wear my dirty underwear, I washed it and let heated chakra run through it to dry it. A small amount of steam signaled that it was working. I had expected it to, however, since Kakashi had taught me how ANBU dried their clothes when they were short on time on missions. This was first time ever I had used the trick.

I quickly got dressed in the loose, black mesh shirt and slacks somebody – _Sasuke_ – had left for me. To my surprise, it fit as sewn on me, and I immediately found the fabric comfortable, too. I had not imagined that anybody would treat their captives like this. It would not be as comfortable if I could not heal Orochimaru's arms, though.

"Did I not just tell you to _not_ use your chakra?" a voice came from behind me. I was startled by his sudden appearance, but somewhat glad that he had let me catch him red-handed in walking in on me. I turned around, my eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Did I not just tell you to _not_ walk in on me?" I replied defiantly, ignoring _his_ question.

No answer came for what felt like a few seconds, so I was surprised to suddenly find myself pushed against the wall. For the second time, Sasuke's hand embraced my throat. His eyes were lightening in anger. Gasping in surprise, I stared mutedly at him. I had stopped breathing.

"I think you have misunderstood something, Sakura," he began, still not letting go of me, "We are not Team Seven anymore. I am not a part of it, nor are you. By acting so selfishly like you do, you merely signalize that you are still living in the past. We do not have this kind of relation anymore. I will not bend and bow for your words. Now, you are a prisoner under my charge – and others'. You must understand that time has changed, and you no longer possess the freedom to act like you did back then; it might cost you your life if you do."

By these words, he disappeared, leaving me dumbstruck and surprised in the misty bathroom.

_He has changed so much…_

--

***Sasuke***

The wind was icy and rough against the skin of my face. Darkness surrounded me, and the lack of light only allowed me to see the nearest trees, rocks, and the ground. I focused on nothing, letting my gaze wander goalless over my surroundings.

My hands were fisted tightly, and I did not remember when I had done it. The irritation still flowed under my skin. She reminded me so much of the old times, and even though it was not her intention, it still went on my nerves. I had had no problems hiding my longing, but this was too much; _she_ was too much.

I stood there for some time, thinking, breathing deeply, and trying to rid myself of my newly arisen need to work off my frustrations.

I felt him instantly when he soundlessly appeared behind me.

"Hm?" A demand for an explanation. I hated being disturbed when thinking, and both Orochimaru and Kabuto knew it. And still, the last mentioned had dared doing it.

"We have felt her chakra more than once by now. What is she doing?" He still not neared me.

"I am trying to get control over her. She is still not fond of the thought of being our captive."

Kabuto grunted lightly, finally approaching me from behind.

"Is she struggling?" he then questioned.

"Not physically. She knows that she will not gain anything by that," I replied, letting my feet bear me somewhere in the small clearing we were standing in. The moon was still clouded, but I had no problem avoiding obstacles.

Kabuto did not move.

"Then what is she using chakra for? Orochimaru-sama is not pleased by the thought of such a skilled medic practicing ninja skills in our hideout when he is not there to survey her. His trust in you seems to be faltering." The last sentence was no surprise. Sakura and my encounter in the hallway at the cell obviously had given him a wrong impression of our relationship. But did Kabuto know anything about our scene? Analyzing his voice, it seemed to be touched by a minor amount of curiosity. Figuring that Orochimaru had not told him about it, a ghostly smile appeared on my lips, but disappeared just as fast.

"Nothing serious. Performing medic skills on herself and doing other worthless things. There should be no such actions in the future, though. I think I have got her a bit under control."

He gave a small laughter, scenes probably playing in his mind. I was not interested in knowing just what he imagined.

"I suppose you have the situation under control then," he said, somewhat more like a demand than a presumption, and our eyes met intensely as I walked by him, "But if she uses chakra again, I do not know who of the two of you will get trouble. You have now been warned."

_I am no idiot, Kabuto_, my mind commented.

I stayed silent and knew he would take it as a sign of understanding. He then adjusted his glasses before looking up on the cloudy night sky.

"Well, then I think I will pay our little captive a short visit. Make sure to return in twenty minutes." By these words, he disappeared.

--

***Sakura***

I had been lying on my bed when suddenly a knock was put on the door. In surprise – and a bit fright – I leapt onto feet and was somewhat relieved to see that it was Kabuto entering. In his hand he held a tray laden with a bowl and a glass filled with a translucent liquid I hoped merely was water.

He surely took his time; entering, closing the door, and nearing me ever so slowly. Placing the tray on the table not far from my bed, he went back to the door. But as I hoped he would leave again, he just leaned against the door, his gaze intensely settled on me. A provocative smile graced his lips.

"Eat," he ordered. I hesitated a bit, but obeyed and neared the table. I did not want more violent scenes to be brought to life.

The bowl contained some kind of soup. It looked delicious, and that was what made me more suspicious. _Were_ they really treating me well? Or was there something in the soup that they had hidden by its tempting façade? I inhaled the steam coming from it, but even though it smelt fantastic I could not be sure there was nothing dangerous in it. I analyzed the water as well, finding nothing. But I found something on the tray; pills. Three pieces, two identical white and one light yellow.

Shooting a skeptic look over my shoulder, I was surprised to find Kabuto right behind me. Before I managed to utter a word, he spoke:

"You can eat it without trouble. As I suppose you have already concluded, there is nothing in the food," he said, smiling just a bit, "But the pills, on the other hand, will do something to you that you might not like – at least not the yellow one, rather."

I took one of the white pills, scraped a bit off with one nail and smelt. I was in no doubt.

"Some kind of soldier pill, or chakra-restoring medicine?" I asked, picking up the yellow one and examined it. This pill did not smell like anything I knew of.

When I once again looked back at Kabuto, he smirked.

"Impressive, Haruno," he replied, "Yes, they will help you restore your chakra about thirty-nine percent faster. The yellow one contains a seal."

"A seal with the purpose of what?"

"You will find out when the time comes. Now, eat. I have not brought you food for just a small talk topic. You will find that I, as the cook, am surprisingly skilled."

I resisted the urge to snort. He surely was self-confident at times.

"You can heal, you can cook, and you can fight. What a good dog Orochimaru has found," I said, hoping to bring him down just a bit. Instead, he just laughed, returning to the door in order to lean against it.

"So was one of Sasuke's first comments when he moved here. Leaf ninja are Leaf ninja…" he mumbled. I chose to ignore his last comment and instead focus on the food he had brought me. My attention fell upon the yellow pill, though.

_A seal… What kind of seal? Why will he not tell me?_

"You know, I do not intend on leaving before you have eaten. I have to make sure you stay healthy and that you take the pills. I am not here in order to entertain you," he finally spoke.

Sighing, I sat down upon the wooden stool at the table and grabbed the spoon, assessed the soup one last time before leading the first spoonful to my lips. It was still warm and smelling deliciously. I then gaped over the spoon and tasted.

Freezing in surprise, I heard him chuckle silently. He was reading me.

_Damn, he __**can**__ cook!_

Remembering just how hungry I was, I ate the soup at record speed. Left were just the pills.

"Swallow the pills and I will leave you immediately…" he said, giving away that he once again had moved behind me. I felt quite uncomfortable by his proximity, because his voice had suddenly changed. Now, it was sharp, commanding and dead serious. I bet he had a kunai in his hand in case I would not comply from this point.

Reassuring myself with the knowledge that they needed me and had no reason to kill me whatsoever, I nodded curtly and swallowed the pills one by one; first the two white ones, then drank some water, and finally the yellow pill.

--

***Sasuke***

Sakura was wandering restlessly around in her room when I entered.

By the sound of the door being opened and closed again, she stiffened, looking at me with dreadful eyes. Judging by her worried look, I presumed that she had taken my words into consideration. If this was the case, she would from now on behave more or less obediently.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, turning her back to me as she sat down at the table in the across the room.

_What a dumb question._

"Making sure you are in your room and not doing anything considered stupid," I replied, "As you probably have noticed, you can move freely around in the nearest area. When you reach locked doors, though, you should never try and unlock them. You will be discovered if doing so."

She chose to not answer me. Instead, she stared at the wall before her eyes.

"Why did you do it?" she asked lowly, her voice just ever so slightly hoarse. Was she crying?

"I was merely putting you in your pl-"

"No," she said, cutting me off, "I mean, why did you leave us? Who would leave his only connections for this place and these people?"

_Bringing up the past once again…_ She was really getting on my nerves. I did not _want_ to remember the old days.

"It is none of your business," I answered sternly, hoping she would let go of the topic once for all. As I had expected, she did not.

"I bet that back then, you had just as little freedom as I do now. Have you ever had a good time since you left us? I remember that you loved to walk around in th-"

"Sakura, shut up!" As said as done. She went silent. Standing up, she strode across the room and passed me, but as she was about to leave the room, I caught her wrist.

"Where are you going?"

She did not look at me when answering:

"I would say it is none of your business, but I suppose it is. I will _do_ _something_. If I keep sitting here in this shitty, little room, my soul will rotten. I do not want to end up like you." By this, she yanked her arm free from my grasp and left, leaving the door a bit open.

For a brief moment, I just stood there, surprised by her actions. Her mood had changed since I had spoken to her half an hour before. I wondered what had happened to her in the meantime, and then I hurried after her.

"Not the locked doors, I get it," she sighed, still not looking at me as she went down the hall in the right direction. She passed the door to my room and ignored it. She knew what was in there. Instead, she tapped the handle to the small stock opposite our rooms and disappeared. Knowing that I had not been informed to directly _stalk_ her, I sent the door one last look before returning to my own room. After all, we both knew that whatever she did, Kabuto, Orochimaru and I would find out sooner or later. There was no point in doing anything rash or stupid – which she never really had been the type to do.

Enjoying the darkness in my room, I only lit a candlelight and sat down by my table. The flame was reflected in the silver blade of my katana, and I stared at if for some time. I needed to practice with it; it had been weeks since last time.

_I suppose that since Sakura will be doing Orochimaru's first medical assessment tomorrow, I will have to train by myself…_


End file.
